


Confessions

by storytimewritings



Category: Scream (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Kidnapping, Murder and Attempted Murder, Very Slight Torture, depictions of violence not graphically detailed, for now at least, spoilers for 2x10 and 2x11
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-07-29 16:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7691011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storytimewritings/pseuds/storytimewritings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following on from the killer's call to Emma at the end of 2x10, Audrey and Emma find themselves caught in the killer's game, with no place to turn to. Evidence, and confessions, point towards them. Now suspects, they find themselves in an even deadlier game, as Emma and the others strive to find Audrey, before it's too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dead in the Water

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at Audrey/Emma fanfiction and writing a multi-chap fanfic, so please bear with me and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Obviously the main point of this fic is the Audrey/Emma stuff, the plot is just to facilitate it. 
> 
> Some chapters will be Audrey POV, some Emma POV.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins with Emma and Audrey listening to the killer's latest call and threats.

Leaning against the car, amidst the flashing lights, Emma grabs Audrey’s hand and squeezes it for a few seconds. She allows herself to be comforted, at least, as comforted as possible in a situation where her friends keep dying and they likely still blame her for all of the carnage caused since Piper came to town. But even this comfort is fleeting, disturbed by the ring of the madman that has flipped their lives upside down, destroying the tentative friendships recently forged. Emma drops her hand, and Audrey immediately misses her warmth, silently chastising herself. Even this brief moment is a major step in the right direction for their friendship after everything. But this ring, it pulls Audrey from her thoughts. After today, an unknown call can only be from one person.

‘We played your game. We followed your rules and you still killed Zoe.’ 

Emma’s pissed, clear as day. Audrey’s been on the wrong side of that anger before, particularly recently. It’s not an anger to be messed with, to be played with, because Emma will swallow anything up to keep herself and her friends whole. Well, as whole as possible in the current situation. Nina may have been Miss Popularity, but there’s a reason people are drawn to Emma, to the fire within the sweet girl facade. It’s what had drawn Audrey to her in the first place, and it’s certainly what had attracted the popular crowd to her. The murders had simply heightened this side of Emma, had replaced the casually sweet girl with this avenging angel for all to see. In targeting Emma, the killers had, essentially, created their own doom. 

‘I always win.’ 

‘You’re gonna lose in the end.’ Emma’s determined. Unshaken, at least, until the killer’s next remarks. 

‘Really? Look at the evidence. You’re dead in the water.’

Audrey meets Emma’s gaze. It’s clearly a reference to Zoe’s murder, but what exactly does the killer mean? And who is their next target? It’s a waiting game. Which is exactly what the killer wants. The killer wants them confused and frightened, unsure when the next piece of evidence will drop, when the next target will have been chosen. It’s all a game to the killer, one that Emma and Audrey need to win, and soon, before all of their friends are gone. 

She can’t lose any more of them. Not after Rachel. Not Noah, best friend extraordinaire, her lifeline in this messed up town. Nor Brooke, the new friend she’s come to really love and understand. If someone had told Audrey she would one day be close friends with Brooke Maddox, she would’ve laughed them out of town for suggesting she could ever like such an awful person. But Brooke was different than she had thought. Maybe that was the result of the end of Nina’s influence, Brooke free to show her real self to the world. She’s still brutally honest, exclusionary and yes, mean at times, but that’s nothing Audrey can’t handle. What she has witnessed is Brooke’s softer side, especially the loyalty to her friends, which Audrey now finds herself included in. It feels good to be Brooke’s friend, and it’s certainly not boring.

And Emma. Emma who has propelled so much of Audrey’s anxiety since the latest killer showed up. The person whom Audrey couldn’t bare to tell the truth to the most. She’s still angry from the abandonment, but it’s also made her who she is. It brought Noah into her life. 

She still aches every time she sees Emma, reminiscing on old times, wondering what could’ve been if they’d remained friends. There’s still a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Because today’s events don’t change the fact that she is somewhat responsible. Emma probably still hates her, and the confession won’t change anything, once Emma gets over the shock. But in this moment they need each other, they need to focus their anger on the killer and find a way to work together. She will do everything she can to make this up to Emma. 

Maggie hugs them. For a moment, she feels safe and part of their family, just as she used to be. She’s missed this. Maggie embracing her wholeheartedly, like her second daughter. Audrey’s own house is so quiet and empty these days, she’s almost forgotten the rush of love and warmth from family. With Emma and Maggie, just for a moment, she’s whole again. If not for her friends, she’d feel lonely. And maybe she does a little. That’s what secrets like hers do to a person. 

‘Come on, let’s get you girls home.’

Arms around them, Maggie leads the two of them to her car. She doesn’t have to say much. There’s not a lot any can say in this situation. Not when yet again a friend has been killed. Not when there’s a killer on the loose targeting the two of them. Audrey slips in beside Emma, their hands clasped together again. There’s a lot of comfort to be drawn from Emma’s touch, and she thinks it’s helping Emma too. Whatever’s happened, they’re in this together. For better or worse. 

Emma traces her fingers across Audrey’s palm, sighing contentedly. Audrey’s breathing slows, relaxes to a steady pace. Maggie turns to them as she inches on to the street, smiling instinctively. Emma rests her head on Audrey’s shoulder, closing her eyes. 

Turning left, Maggie addresses Audrey softly, ‘Would you like to stay with us for tonight? I can drop you home in the morning if you’d rather?’

Eyes still shut, Emma adds, ‘Yeah it’d be like old times.’

Audrey ponders, but declines, ‘I think I just want to go home.’

Because it’s not old times. A lot has happened between them. In the morning Emma will be glad of Audrey’s absence, just as Audrey needs the time and space to reflect. Her confessions change things between them, as much as she wishes they wouldn’t. 

Maggie pulls up to her house and Audrey gently slips out from under Emma, placing her head against the back of the seat. She snores lightly and Audrey smothers a chuckle.

Audrey opens her door before Maggie leaves the driveway, waving as she crosses the threshold and runs into her room. Closing the door, she leans against it, breathing deeply. She removes her shoes before sliding into bed, still completely clothed. Today’s problems are for another day, for future Audrey to deal with.


	2. I Loved You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next day at school, Emma and Audrey find themselves at the centre of the rumour mill.

Deja vu. They’re staring. They’re all staring. Friends stop chatting in the middle of the hallway to stare at her. Girls turn around at their lockers, their eyes following her as she walks past. They whisper behind her back, laughing. 

Audrey spins around. She’s not imagining things. From every angle she’s singled out, directly targeted. Her head reels. There’s no wolf whistling, but the gossiping is plain to see. There’s no tough facade this time, simply confusion. And no friendly faces to question. 

Emma walks in, and Audrey’s stomach plummets. She’s still not ready to address what happened yesterday. Emma’s stride is purposeful, straight towards her. She stands stock still. The crowd grows, and the whispers increase. Emma stops in front of her, takes a deep breath. 

‘Umm…can we talk Audrey?’

She plasters on smile, ‘What about?’

Maybe if she treats her confession as no big deal then she’ll escape from this conversation relatively undamaged. 

The whispering continues to escalate. Emma whips around, glaring at the crowd. Grabbing Audrey’s arm, she pulls her to the side of the hallway. 

Emma leans in, murmuring, ‘You know what I mean…’ 

‘I really don’t.’ 

It’s easier to pretend. Especially when Emma’s gaze is so focused on her. 

‘Umm guys, we have a bit of a problem.’ Noah appears, breaking their staring match. 

Emma frowns, ‘What’s up Noah?’

‘Yeah get it Audrey!’ Someone calls out from the crowd, setting off a succession of wolf whistles. 

Baffled, Emma and Audrey follow Noah through the crowd. It’s only intensified since Emma pulled her aside. They’re all glued to their phones, replaying some video. But it’s been ages since the video of her and Rachel broke, surely people aren’t suddenly interested in that again? They have to push past everyone, the girls nudge each other, sniggering behind their hands, whilst the boys smirk and leer. 

‘Oh my god you guys, why am I like the last to hear about this?’ Brooke calls out, latching on to their arms, hauling them through the crowd and towards the bathrooms. 

Softer she asks, ‘Audrey are you ok?’

Before she can respond, Noah butts in, ‘They don’t know Brooke.’

‘Oh.’

‘Yeah. We need to show them. Before they find out from someone else.’

Audrey waves her hand in Noah’s face. ‘We’re right here, genius. Care to elaborate?’

‘Well uh…’

Changing direction, Brooke drags them inside an empty classroom, locking the door behind. 

‘You might want to sit down.’ Brooke pulls out two chairs for them. That’s what’s really scary. 

‘Ok if Brooke’s being this nice, it can’t be good,’ Emma mumbles.

‘Ya think? I’ve already had enough of being gossiped about for the rest of my life, but what could possibly be worse than that?’ Audrey mutters to her. 

Brooke and Noah stare down at them.

‘I don’t really know how to start, so uh, I think you should probably just watch it,’ Noah says, placing his laptop on the desk. 

Hesitating briefly, Audrey and Emma look at each other as Noah presses play. 

It’s horrible. Mortifying. Worse than she had imagined. It’s probably-no definitely-worse than the Rachel video. That was something easily laughed at, and at worst, generated sexual comments from boys, and avoidance from girls. But this, this is her heart on display for the whole world to see. Her pain for everyone to laugh at.

\----------------------

‘And why, what did I do to you?’

‘I was pissed, ok, I was pissed. You had your new friends and you abandoned me!’

‘You wanted nothing to do with them!’

‘Whatever.’

‘No, not whatever. Why did you hate me, what did I do to you?!’

‘You really wanna know, right now?!’

‘Yes, I really wanna know! Why did you hate me?!’

‘You broke my heart! I loved you, ok, and you broke my heart. And the worst part is, you didn’t even know you were doing it.’

\----------------------

‘I’m so sorry Audrey. I tried to take it down, but it’s everywhere.’

She can’t think, can’t breathe. It’s as if her whole world is collapsing. The silence is deafening. Sick to the stomach and lightheaded, she stands, only to fall. Emma catches her, Brooke grabbing a chair to settle Audrey in. Closing her eyes, taking deep breaths, she slowly exhales. She’s been made a laughingstock, but she can’t let them get to her. She lets her hard facade gradually fall into place. She opens her eyes, ready to face the music. 

But she’s unprepared for Noah, Brooke and Emma right in her face, pity enveloping their expressions. She doesn’t need their pity. Doesn’t need anyone’s pity. Jumping up, she shoves them away from her. 

‘I think we all know who did this.’ Emma’s pitying expression hurts the most. 

‘Who cares? Everyone’s seen it. At this stage, it hardly matters who recorded it and sent it to everyone we know!’

‘But there’s got to be a reason.’

‘Yeah, there’s a reason. Making gossip out of me yet again. Everyone laughing at me behind their backs, or feeling sorry for me. I don’t need their pity! I don’t need your pity!’

‘But what if there’s more to it than that?’

‘I don’t care Emma! Just leave me the hell alone!’

Audrey wrenches the door open, escaping into the crowded hallway, Emma chasing after her. Brooke and Noah turn to each other before following the two of them. 

Emma and Audrey are in the middle of an argument as the crowd looks on. The bell rings sharply, but no lockers bang as students dash to their rooms. The hallway doesn’t empty. The crowd is single minded, acting as if a single organism. Reaching for their phones, the multitude of students record every angry word. 

‘Audrey can we please just talk about this?’

‘There’s nothing to say! It’s all over and done with! What do you want me to say, that I lied when we spoke at Brooke’s party, that I didn’t like you?’ Gesturing at the crowd surrounding them, Audrey continues, ‘Well it looks like everyone knows anyway, there’s nothing left to hide!’

Emma reaches for her, but Audrey jerks away from her. ‘Don’t touch me.’

‘What are you all looking at?!!!’ She screams at the shocked crowd, bulldozing her way through them. The cool breeze is refreshing. It cools her anger a little, enough to get her in car and drive off. She doesn’t look back.

Emma hurries after her, jostling through the amused masses. But Audrey’s already gone.


	3. Please, Audrey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Audrey ignoring the killer's calls, the killer contacts Emma instead, determined to set them up on a deadly scavenger hunt.

It’s early when her phone buzzes. She sits up abruptly, lunging for it and brushes the sleep from her eyes as she smothers a yawn. 

‘Hello Audrey.’ She sucks in a breath. 

She should’ve checked caller ID. As if her Saturday wasn’t going to be challenging enough trying to avoid Emma, and needing to console Noah after Zoe’s death. He’s still not healed from it. Not that anyone could ever expect that of him. Mostly though, she just feels sorry that her last words with Zoe were so angry. Zoe who will never have the chance to live her dreams. Just like the rest of their friends and all of the collateral damage in the killer’s attempt to hurt her and Emma. And now she has the killer to deal with as well. 

Ending the call, she flops face down onto her bed, burying her face into the pillow. Just once, she’d like for her weekend to be threats and murder free. She wills herself to sleep, to take a brief respite before facing the day’s problems. Therein lies her fatal mistake. 

Her phone buzzes again. Unknown, of course. Resigned to her fate, she answers.

‘Don’t hang up on me! You’ve been a bad girl, Audrey. You made a mistake, and you’re going to regret it.’

‘Well I’m listening now, ya dick! What the hell do you want?!’ She’s tired and pissed. Angry.

‘It’s time for another little scavenger hunt.’

‘Oh no, not this again. It’s all just a game to you, picking who’s going to live and die. We never had a chance! You just wanted to make us think that we did! I’m not doing it.’

‘Oh yes you will.’

‘So who’s gonna die this time if I refuse, huh?!’

‘No-one.’

‘Well buh-bye then,’ sarcasm her great refuge. She’s about to end the call.

‘You’ll regret that. I’m giving you a golden opportunity here. Me on a silver platter if you win. Face to face.’

‘Not interested.’ What else can the killer do? They’ve already killed half of her friends. This sick, twisted game they’re playing is rigged. No good could possibly come of playing along this time. 

Audrey lies back down and closes her eyes. Tries to forget the past few days. She breathes in deeply, exhales slowly. Rinse and repeat. 

Though her breathing calms, her mind does not clear. Her thoughts rush around her head, anger and despair her chief emotions. It’s impossible to reach a point of relaxation where she can remove that negative energy and begin anew. Normally she thrives off of this energy, but she cannot keep up the pace anymore. Certainly not after yesterday’s events. Checks and balances are necessary to compose herself before she lashes out at everyone. She needs a distraction. 

She jumps a little as her phone rings. It’s Emma. Audrey’s not ready to deal with that mess right now. She lets the call ring out. Breathes a sigh of relief when she doesn’t call again. That’s another problem successfully avoided. 

She’s going to wish she’d touched wood. 

/Audrey. Stop ignoring me. We have a problem. I got another call. Meet me at Grindhouse ASAP.-E/

‘Ugh why???’ Audrey mutters to herself, leisurely pulling up her favourite ripped black jeans, pulling her red cropped sweater over her head. She had almost successfully managed to avoid everyone today, the killer included. This is probably her punishment for not listening to him earlier. Now Emma’s involved in this whole debacle.

Audrey speeds down to the coffee shop. That’s one advantage of the early hour-there’s not really anyone to witness it, especially considering it’s the weekend. There’s not much going on in this town for anyone to bother getting up early when they don’t have to work. 

She bursts into the coffee shop. The old man sitting by the window, and the two young girls occupying the couch glance at her, then turn away as she mouths a sorry for her loudness. Watching from the counter, Emma snickers, and Audrey glares at her. She strides towards the counter, stopping in her tracks for a few seconds. She recognises the girls, a few grades below her.They keep sneaking looks at her. Catching her gaze, they giggle. Of course, how could she forget? She’s the top of the school rumour mill. At least, Audrey supposes, she has experience in riding out the gossip. 

Emma’s sympathetic. ‘I’m sorry about them. People will forget about it soon. They did last time, right?’

‘Can we just get on with whatever it is that I had to hurry here for?’

‘Well someone’s in a bit of a mood today.’

‘Thank you, Captain Obvious. I so appreciate your comments.’

‘Hey, no need to get snarky with me, Audrey. I’m not the one to blame for your problems.’

‘Oh and I suppose that would be me?’

Emma sighs, placing her hands on Audrey’s shoulders. ‘Hey, look at me. I didn’t mean it like that.’ She smiles, and for a moment Audrey’s blinded by it. It’s been a while since Emma’s looked at her like that. 

They’re interrupted by incessant giggling from the two girls. Audrey glares, moves towards them. 

Emma grabs her arm. ‘Just ignore them.’

‘I’m trying to. But they’re about to get smacked down if they don’t shut up.’

‘Ok then…alright, my shifts over. Let’s take this somewhere else.’

They’re in Emma’s car, and Audrey’s getting impatient. ‘Alright can you please tell me what’s going on now?’

Emma hesitates. ‘The killer called.’

‘No shit Sherlock. They called me too. Something about some stupid scavenger hunt to discover their identity…’

‘They called you about that as well? Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘Because it’s a load of crock Emma. It won’t change anything. Probably just an excuse for them to mess with us again.’

‘But what if we can do it? What if we find something?’

‘Fat chance of that happening.’ She admires Emma’s determined spirit. There’s still a fire within her. Even after all of her loss, and anxiety, Emma remains resolute. This is the girl that Audrey’s always known, even when Emma shied away from the world. She still does, in many ways. 

But Emma’s not right this time. 

‘Audrey, we have to do this. It might be our only chance!’

‘Yes, great idea, let’s play into the killer’s hands. Because that can’t possibly go wrong.’

‘Audrey, you need to trust me. We have to do this. And no-one else can know.’ 

Emma looks down briefly. There’s fear in her eyes. In an instant, it vanishes. It’s hard to identify beneath her resolve, but Audrey’s known Emma almost her entire life. Emma hasn’t changed since their break up, not really. 

‘There’s something you’re not telling me.’

Emma’s desperate. ‘No there isn’t. I just think we need to do this.’

‘Seriously Emma? You just did your hair twirl thing. You know I know what that means…’

Emma’s silent. Audrey’s frustrated. ’Fine don’t tell me the truth.’

‘I’m hardly the one with the monopoly on secrets these days…’

‘Wow ok, fine. Keep your secret. Because that hasn’t been a problem for us. Not. At. All.’ 

She opens the car door, Emma shuts it hastily. ‘Please, Audrey.’ Despairing, she continues, ‘If you don’t help me, I’m going by myself.’

She’s stuck there. There’s no way that she’s going to let Emma go off on a wild goose chase which is most likely a trap the killer has set for them. She can’t leave Emma. Not now, not ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually thought I'd get to the 'scavenger hunt' in this chapter, but the set up ended up longer than expected. So this fic will just have more chapters, probably 7/8...


	4. I Can't Lose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Audrey and Emma find themselves on a wild goose chase, hoping to find some clue as to the killer's identity. Despairing after all of the false leads, they appear to have found the clue they are looking for. But where does it lead them? And what is waiting for them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be my last update until some time after the next episode, 2x11. I've tried to make my story mostly follow canon so far, and it was also inspired by the promo for 2x11, but obviously this is a fic, so it won't be canon compliant after this. 
> 
> I have already plotted out my story, so it won't really be affected by what occurs in the finale two episodes, and I'll still finish it, whatever happens! Hopefully nothing bad :)
> 
> I've also neglected uni work the last few days, so I probably won't be updating every day, but will definitely try to every few days!

Audrey flops down onto the grass, picking at the weeds. Lying back, she studies the clouds. All she can see in them is death and pain. Images of their dead friends. Rachel laughing for the last time. Brooke covered in Tyler’s blood. Noah crying over two potential loves. And of Piper-Piper shooting at Emma, the two of them shooting her, one after the other. She sees things more clearly now, in this place where it all ended. Piper was never her friend, just like practically everyone else in this godforsaken town. It should have been difficult to shoot her. In some ways it was. But with Emma’s life on the line, there was no choice to be made. It was all instinct. 

Emma cautiously steps onto the dock, then hesitates. She stares at the place where Piper slid down into the lake’s watery depths. 

Interrupting her thoughts, Audrey yells, ‘Ok seriously Emma, can we stop now?’

‘No. We’re not done yet.’

‘We’re never going to be done! They’re all false leads. The killer is hardly going to lead us right to them, Emma. We’re just puppets playing right into their hand! We’re being played simply for their own amusement.’

Fighting back tears, Emma maintains, ‘We have to. We have-’. 

She bursts into sobs, and Audrey looks up sharply. Emma’s crouching in front of the dock, almost hyperventilating. Audrey runs over to sit with Emma, and hugs her. She brushes away at her tears, leaving traces of barely concealed tear tracks. 

‘Hey Emma, it’s ok. It’s going to be ok.’ Emma sobs into Audrey’s chest. ‘Shhh we’re going to be ok.’ 

As her tears ebb, Emma looks up at Audrey, ‘No, we’re not.’

‘Don’t let the killer get to you Em. We’ve made a good team so far, right?’ Her attempts at reassurance seem to fall on deaf ears. 

‘You don’t understand Audrey. The killer, they told me I had to make you come…’

‘What do you mean? Emma?’

‘They threatened you! Said they had enough to pin all of the murders on you, make it look like you’d been Piper’s accomplice the whole time!’

Shocked, Audrey stands and walks a few steps out onto the dock. She curses Piper, curses herself for bringing that virus into their lives. Most of all, she curses this town they live in, she curses Lakewood again and again for the death and destruction it keeps bringing into their lives. 

Emma rises and tentatively steps out onto the dock behind Audrey. Uncertain, she grasps Audrey’s hand. ‘I’ve lost too many people. I can’t lose you. I won’t.’

Together they stand, gripping onto each other. It’s almost tranquil, the sun shining down on the peaceful lake, birds chirping in the nearby trees. It’s almost quiet. Except for their own thoughts, recalling the last times they were here together. Searching for Zoe, shooting Piper. This lake will never be the same again. They will never be the same again. 

They will never be the same again.

‘It’s here! This is it!’ Emma exclaims excitedly. 

Audrey turns to her. ‘You mean-’

‘Yes! It’s gotta be here! The connection to Brandon, to Piper, to Zoe, to us…Everywhere else was random, inconsequential. This is where it all began. We’re finally getting somewhere!’

‘Ok, well what are we looking for?’

‘You’re helping now?’

‘Well I guess I don’t wanna be framed or whatever,’ Audrey jokes, straight-faced. Emma smiles, and they both dissolve into laughter. For a few, brief moments she’s reminded of just how beautiful Emma’s laugh is. And how much she’s missed this easy banter between them.

When reality hits, their laughter abruptly ceases. It’s time to get serious again.

‘So what are we looking for?’

‘I feel like we’ll know it when we see it.’

They walk hand in hand down to the end of the dock. Frustration is inevitable, for nothing seems out of place. Sighing, Audrey leads them over to spot where Piper went down. Miraculously, she discerns something that wasn’t there before, pointing it out to Emma.

‘Think maybe these coordinates have something to do with it?’

‘Well they certainly weren’t here before. We have nothing else to go on, so it can’t hurt to try.’ Emma’s brighter than before, her new-found positivity shining through. They haven’t given up, and now they may have a lead.

‘Ok toss me your keys.’ At this, Emma glowers.

‘Don’t give me that look Em. You’ve been driving all over the place all day. You barely slept last night, I can tell.’

‘Fine.’ She’s clearly relieved though, and Audrey’s pleased she was at least able to convince Emma of this. Progress of a sort. 

She turns on Emma’s car, and puts in the coordinates. ‘Ok sleeping beauty, it looks like it’ll be a few hours, how about you get some sleep?’

Face towards the window, she closes her eyes and drifts off. Audrey grins. 

They’re almost there when Emma shoots up at the ring of her phone. Frowning, she rejects the call and turns to Audrey.

‘All good?’

‘Yep.’

‘Well we’re almost there.’

Emma’s phone rings again and she puts it on vibrate. ‘Good.’

Her phone buzzes. Again. Text after text. 

‘Ya gonna get that?’

‘Nope.’ She turns off her phone.

‘Well I guess that’s one way of dealing with it,’ Audrey jokes. ‘Whoever that is, they’re gonna keep on calling.’

‘I know, it’s just Kieran has been so protective lately, just calling me randomly wanting to know where I am. It’s driving me insane.’

‘Can you blame him though? He loves you, and after everything that’s happened…’

‘Yeah I know, I guess…It’s just, he’s being super weird about Eli too, like really obsessive and it’s kinda getting on my nerves…’

‘To be fair, it’s not hard to get paranoid in this town. It’s probably just that photo of him at Will’s funeral…I’d be obsessing over it too if we weren’t out here right now.’

‘Yeah I guess…’ 

‘Looks like we’re here.’ It seems to be a bunch of abandoned buildings. It’s far out from the rest of town, there’s no guessing what they might find here. 

‘What do you think’s waiting for us in there?’

‘I don’t know.’ Audrey looks at Emma. They’re both a little scared. Definitely hesitant. What kind of game is the killer playing, sending them out on a hunt for his or her own identity? ‘Let’s find out.’


	5. Bad Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At their final stop in the killer's scavenger hunt, Emma and Audrey receive a frightening call and threatening message written in blood. But that's not the biggest surprise the killer has in store for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took longer for me to write than normal, probably because I just kept thinking of ideas for the following chapter at the same time. I should have the next one done soon. 
> 
> Obviously this is no longer canon compliant as it was in the beginning, and just to reiterate I have the story plotted out so it won't really be affected by whatever happens in the show.

‘Let’s find out.’

This scavenger hunt has cost them most of the day. Particularly this last journey, as the light fades to dusk. What once might have been peaceful in a world where Lakewood wasn’t infested with serial killers, is now thoroughly creepy. The abandoned buildings simply add to this effect, casting a gloomy facade over the area. 

Emma jumps out first, surveying the area, and Audrey reluctantly follows. She pulls out her trusty crowbar and hands the taser to Emma. 

‘Just like old times, huh? Remember how to use this thing?’ 

Emma laughs slightly. ‘We’ve had a lot of practise since then. Sometimes I can’t believe we’re still here.’ They bother sober up at the thought. Last time they had found Tyler’s head beneath the mask, and that had been child’s play compared to what they’ve faced since then. 

Emma opens the boot of her car. ‘I see that you came prepared,’ Audrey states as Emma lifts two torches, tossing one to her. 

‘After everything that’s happened, I think it’s about time we came a little prepared.’ She pulls out a baseball bat also. ‘You’re not the only one who thought of something.’ Emma gestures at the collection of knives in her boot. Audrey’s surprised, to say the least. It’s quite a collection.

Incredulous, Audrey replies, ‘I can see that Em.’ The knives are a bit of a shocker. Emma’s definitely gone to town on them, and Audrey reasons she must have invaded her whole kitchen after the killer’s phone call this morning. ‘But, uh, how about we just leave the knives for now?’

Emma chuckles nervously. ‘Yeah I guess I might’ve gone a little far…’ She shuts the boot, but not before sliding one of the knives into her pocket. ‘Just in case.’ 

It’s ridiculous that they’ve even come to this point, Audrey thinks. That their lives have become about how to protect themselves from a serial killer taunting them specifically, when they should be worrying about all of the drama that high school has to offer. She should be battling her bullies, not fighting against some madman intent on ruining their lives and killing everyone they’ve ever cared about. Most teenagers just have to think about the minefield that is high school, whereas they must constantly watch their backs, watch each other’s backs. She can’t really blame Emma. At this stage, they’re all pretty paranoid. They have reason to be. And it’s not really paranoia if their fears are literally coming true every day. 

Together, they walk towards the first building. This place should be their final stop for the day, in this bizarre scavenger hunt the killer has sent them on. Vastly unsettled, the girls ascend the stairs to the house. Audrey wrestles with the lock, but it resists. This first door is rusted shut.

‘Ok well, maybe the killer didn’t come this way?’

‘Or there could be another way in and the killer is waiting for us there. If we go in this way and they are in there, we won’t be ambushed. And we might catch the killer off guard,’ Audrey reasons. 

‘Yeah ok, good point. But how are we getting in?’

Audrey raises her crowbar, breaking the lock, and kicks down the door. Turning to Emma, she smirks. 

‘Just like that.’

‘Nicely done, Supergirl.’ Emma’s impressed, and for a second, Audrey’s pleased with herself for securing that response from her. It’s almost second nature to her, to wish for Emma’s approval. It’s also why Emma’s rejection hurts so much. 

‘That is the least of my skills,’ Audrey says as she takes an exaggerated bow. Together they slip inside the building, and jump slightly as the door slams behind them. 

‘That was just the wind, right?’ Emma questions. The fear is starting to set in.

‘Said every victim in a horror movie ever! Damn Em, now you’ve jinxed us!’

‘Right, sorry!’

The room is completely bare, as is the next room. They walk through the entire house. Nothing. 

They rush through the back door, relief flying through them as the step out into the cool night air. But they’re not done yet. 

Walking across the porch of the neighbouring house, the wooden floorboards creak faintly, and Emma grabs Audrey’s hand tightly. They’re both shaking a little, the tension getting to them. Suddenly, Audrey’s phone rings. In the silence of the night, the ring is thunderous. They’ve lost any potential chance they had at surprising the killer now. 

Unknown caller.

‘Answer. The. Damn. Phone. Audrey!’ Emma hisses, desperate to quiet the alarming noise. 

‘I am!’ Audrey hisses back. ‘And I think it’s a little too late now to worry about the noise!’ She answers her phone on speaker.

At first, all she can hear is static. Then, ‘Hello Audrey. Hello Emma.’

‘What the hell do you want with us?’ Audrey explodes. They’ve been pawns in the killer’s game all day long, and nothing to show for it. That’s what you get for following the promises of a murderer.

‘All in good time…First I have a surprise for you girls. It’s waiting for you inside.’

‘How much you wanna bet we’re not gonna like it?’ Audrey asks Emma.

‘Now now Audrey. It’s not my fault you two are such bad girls. You’ve both been very bad. Next time you’ll think before you cross me! Enjoy the show!’ The killer hangs up, leaving Emma and Audrey staring at the phone in horror. 

‘What do you think it is?’ Emma wonders.

‘I don’t know. And I don’t like it. We should just leave now.’ She tries to leave, but Emma grabs her arm and pulls her back. 

‘No, we have to keep going. We need to know what’s in there. And the killer could still frame you, Audrey, if we don’t go along with the plan!’ 

Entering the house, they tread softly, moving furtively. They turn a corner, and there it is. Someone is laying on the floor on their stomach, blood dripping from multiple stab wounds in their back. The blood is fresh and sprayed across the floor and walls. They rush over to turn the man onto his back, checking for breathing. He’s gone. His front is even more disturbing than his back. His eyes have been gouged. They both gag, hands covered in blood.

‘Oh my god,’ Emma cries out. Yet they cannot tear their eyes away. Until a burning smell reaches them. 

Running into the next room, the killer’s message is written in blood on the opposite wall. /This is what happens to bad girls./ 

Audrey stares at it in horror, Emma dragging her away as the room continues to fill with smoke and everything starts to burn. They race past the body, through the rest of the house and out into the night.  
They are instantly blinded by flashing red and blue lights. When their eyes adjust, they see Sheriff Acosta, gun pointed right at them. He’s yelling at them, ‘Put your hands up! Drop your weapons and put your hands up!’ 

In their shock over what they had been confronted with, the girls hadn’t realised that they still clutched their weapons, though they’d certainly lost their torches in their haste to escape from the burning building. They drop them to the ground, turn to each other and put their hands up.


	6. A Danger To Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrested, Emma and Audrey have been separated. As new evidence comes to light pointing to Audrey as the killer, Acosta interrogates Emma to find the truth about her accomplice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter after the S2 finale, obviously won't be canon compliant. My fic had been plotted out prior to the finale, so it won't be influenced by the finale, although some elements will look familiar. Before 2x11 I had planned out what way the story could go and who I would make the killer and why. Hopefully you will like the reveal at the end of the fic!
> 
> Emma POV. Audrey's not present in this chapter, though she is mentioned a lot.
> 
> I'm hoping to upload the next chapter sooner than this one.

‘Where’s Audrey?’ Emma’s concerned for her. She hasn’t seen Audrey since they’d been shoved into the police car and separated on arrival at the station. She’s been shut in interrogation for what feels like hours now. It’s starting to psych her out, which is probably the point.

Just outside of the room, she hears hushed voices, and puts her ear to the door. ‘No, I want you to keep an eye on her. She’s a danger to society. She’s the one we’ve been looking for.’ 

It’s Acosta. Is he talking about her?

‘No, I don’t think Emma’s involved. She’s likely just another victim, easy to prey on, pretend to be friends with and get information from.’

Are they talking about Audrey?  
The door swings open, and Emma jumps back quickly. Not quick enough. The guilt radiates across her face as Acosta raises his eyebrows.

‘Please sit down Emma.’

‘Where’s Audrey?’

‘Emma, please.’

‘No Sheriff, I want to know where Audrey is!’ She’s not going to let him derail her. Not when it comes to Audrey. 

‘Emma. Sit. Down.’ Again, she refuses.

‘Not until you tell me what you did with Audrey! We did nothing wrong! We’re the victims here!’

‘Yes Emma, you are a victim. A victim of Audrey’s mind games.’

‘No!’

‘Yes. She’s the one who killed all of your friends. She was working with Piper the whole time. She was finishing off their plan.’

‘Audrey wouldn’t do that!’ 

Acosta sighs deeply. He looks down at his notes, then right at her. 

‘Look Emma, we have evidence. We know that Audrey was responsible for bringing Piper to town. We have audio and video of her admitting that.’

He swivels his laptop towards her, waves a CD, ‘This was on my desk this afternoon. Video of you and Audrey at the pig farm. She admits to bringing Piper to Lakewood.’

It’s Audrey’s confession. The confession that went viral, but this time it’s the part that incriminates her. She can’t watch it. She can’t watch the video that’s hurt Audrey so much. But she can hear the anguish in Audrey’s voice as she tells her that she loved her.

‘Stop it. Stop it!’ Emma yells. Tears in her eyes, she reaches over and slams the laptop shut. 

Acosta just watches pityingly. ‘The anonymous source also gave us this tape.’ He places it in front of her. ‘Do you know what we found on here?’ He asks softly.

Emma nods her head.

‘Audrey confesses to Noah. That’s two recordings of confessions. Now if you and Noah had come forward with this all earlier, maybe we wouldn’t have so many dead bodies on our hands.’  
He’s waiting for some kind of response. Emma pulls herself together, and breathes in deeply. She needs to convince Acosta that Audrey is not a threat.

She leans in closer to the Sheriff. ‘Ok, I know it looks bad. I do. I thought all kinds of things when I first heard this confession,’ she says, grabbing the tape. 

She slams it on the desk. ‘I thought that she was Piper’s accomplice, that she had brought her here to Lakewood just to torture me. I was pissed ok, and I wouldn’t listen to anything she said. I’m certainly not saying she’s completely innocent, because she did invite Piper to come here. But she didn’t know what Piper was doing! She thought they were friends! She killed Piper! What more do you need? She was just a pissed, insecure girl who wanted to feel validated by someone. She felt like I had abandoned her…’

Head in her hands, Emma stops suddenly. ‘You never answered my question. Where is Audrey?’

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

‘Not important? What do you mean not important? I want to see her!’ She runs to the door, but Acosta steps in front of her.

‘Calm down Emma. You should be more worried about yourself. Audrey’s not your friend.’

Emma’s pacing the room. ‘Yes she is! We’ve been through a lot and I’m not going to abandon her now. Kieran’s dad accused Audrey before, and now you’re going after her…’

‘Emma-’

‘She’s my friend. She’d never do this to me.’ Emma’s adamant. She trusts Audrey completely. 

‘Emma, listen. We found more. Whilst you and Audrey were out, we searched her room,’ he pulls out a stack of papers. ‘These are copies of letters she sent to Piper-’

‘That doesn’t prove anything.’

‘I think we could work together. We could make them pay. You and me. That’s what she says, Emma-’

‘Please stop.’

‘Such a princess bitch…that’s why we need to bring her down-’

She can’t listen to any more of it. It’s too hard to hear what Audrey thought of her back then, of just how far they drifted apart. Her words are vicious and even though she’s heard it before, they still hurt. And some of what Acosta’s saying is completely new to her. She can’t imagine how many letters Piper and Audrey sent to each other. She doesn’t want to know. Not really. There’s a darkness inside Audrey, something that didn’t exist before. But Emma knows that there is a darkness inside herself now as well. Given what they’ve been through, it’s completely understandable. And who better to understand themselves than each other. 

‘I know you don’t want to believe me, Emma. But it’s the truth. Audrey is the killer.’

‘You don’t have anything concrete on her. And I suppose you think she was the one who sent the both of us on a wild goose chase today.’ Incredulous, Emma laughs at the thought. 

‘Emma, you need to tell me everything you can remember about today. Anything strange Audrey did or said. It could really help our case.’ He’s pleading at this point. It’s obvious that Emma is not going to be easy to convince. He has one last piece of evidence to change her mind. 

‘You got phone calls from the killer, right? That’s what you said in the car, that the killer called you when you and Audrey were inside?’

‘Yes.’ She’s hesitant. Acosta’s moving in for the kill. Anything she says could be construed to implicate Audrey. 

‘Those calls you received from the killer, we traced them back to a burner phone. The same burner phone that we found when we searched Audrey’s room.’

Emma’s confused. ‘That doesn’t make any sense. The killer called Audrey, I was there. She couldn’t call herself from a burner phone.’

‘True. She must’ve had an accomplice. But she’s the ringleader, everything we’ve found points to that. She was the original accomplice, and now she’s recruited someone else to continue on Piper’s killings.’ 

‘Audrey shot Piper. She shot her for me.’ She won’t listen to a word he says against Audrey. She knows Audrey better than anyone else now. She’s seen every side to her, she’s defended her time and time again. She’s even accused her. Right now though, it has to be in the past, because only they can save each other now. 

‘But did she die? No, she came back a second time, and then you shot and killed her. Audrey’s going to prison, Emma, and she’s going away for good. We still need your help to find her accomplice though.’

She’s done with him. And all of the adults in this town who had ever chosen not to believe them. She’s done playing nice. Done playing right into the killer’s hands. It’s time to end this, once and for all. And she’s going to do it alone. 

‘I want my lawyer now.’


	7. On Your Conscience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma refuses to be a pawn in anymore games. 
> 
> A daring escape?, further interrogations and an irate Maggie all feature in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up. I've been bombarded with a lot of work at uni, but we're on a week study break now so I should get the chance to write a few more chapters. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter! 
> 
> Emma POV, still at the police station. It is more of a filler chapter than some of the others, but what happens is necessary to set up the more action-packed next chapter.

It’s only been ten minutes since Acosta left her, and Emma’s getting antsy. She’s already been held for almost two hours, with no idea where Audrey is-is she still being interrogated? Or has she been arrested? 

Emma recalls the last time Audrey was in this situation, how she had helped Audrey by stealing a potentially incriminating video from her room, before the police could find it. And now, if that material were to surface, it would simply add to what the police felt was a pile of evidence against Audrey. At this stage, they aren’t even looking at anyone else.

The solitude is slowing driving her insane. In another situation, she would welcome it, a chance to escape from the horrors of Lakewood and the stresses of their current daily lives. But now, the solitude is simply elevating her stress levels. How can she protect herself and her friends if she doesn’t know what is going on? And with herself locked in this room, who’s to say that the killer won’t try contacting one of her friends? Right now, she cannot be a buffer between them, and that makes Brooke and Noah sitting ducks. 

She’s distracted by a commotion outside in the hall.

‘Well where the hell is she then?’

Emma jumps out of her chair, and puts her ear to the door again. This is the only way she’s going to find out what has been happening. 

But all she can hear are multiple whispered voices, until Acosta yells, ‘What do you mean, you don’t know?! It’s your goddamn job to know!’

More whispers.

‘Well if you don’t find her soon, you lot are going to be responsible for the next body that drops!’

He’s talking about Audrey. He has to be, since the police are convinced that she is the killer. And Acosta’s becoming more and more enraged at the prospect of her escape. 

‘This department has been made a fool of since the last lot of killing sprees with Piper! No wonder, considering you can’t even keep a prisoner under lock and key! How in the hell does a teenage girl escape from a holding cell? If we don’t find her soon, the media is going to eat us alive. Now someone go and find the footage of the cells from the last hour.’

‘Umm sir,’ one of the policemen is finally speaking up, Emma can now hear more than just Acosta’s side of the conversation, ‘we already looked. There’s nothing.’

‘What do you mean, there’s nothing? Audrey is not invisible!’

‘Well, um, the video cut out around thirty minutes ago. No footage of her escape at all. One minute she’s there, then when the video starts again she’s gone.’

‘Why in the hell weren’t one of you idiots watching her at all times?! Once we find her, someone’s job is on the chopping block!’

Emma can just imagine Acosta’s face now, getting slightly redder and redder. It sounds like he’s about to burst. 

Someone is stomping down the hall towards her room. It has to be Acosta, muttering ‘Stupid incompetents,’ under his breath, so Emma races back to her seat, lays her head on the table. There’s no need for him to know that she’s been listening to it all. These days it’s always good to be unpredictable, to hold some cards that the other side doesn’t even know you’re holding. Because that what Acosta is now-the other side. Until he stops trying to use her as evidence against Audrey. 

Acosta yanks open the door, breathing heavily, and Emma looks up in surprise. She had been right, she thinks, Acosta is very red in the face, all that yelling and anger had not done good things for his complexion. But she doesn’t want to let on what she knows. 

‘Where the hell is my lawyer?’

‘I’ve had a lot more important things on my mind, Emma. Such as, for example, your friend’s little escape plan.’

‘What escape plan?’ It’s true then, Audrey has escaped. Except, how? How did Audrey get the video to cut out? Furthermore, she wouldn’t have left Emma. And even if she did manage to escape, it was just making her look more guilty. What is going on?

‘Why would Audrey try to escape from her holding cell if she isn’t guilty, Emma? And how could she do it without outside help? You’re in here, so it can’t have been you. So which one of your little friends is her accomplice?’

He knows just how to push her buttons. But Emma’s not going to bite, at least, she’s not going to get emotional. She's going to play this cool, calm and collected. There’s less of a chance of her words being used against her, or Audrey, if she thinks them through. And part of her just wants to annoy the hell out of Acosta a little. 

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Audrey has escaped Emma! If you don’t start helping me out, the next dead body is on your conscience!’ Acosta’s face just keeps getting redder. Some spit flies out of his mouth, and Emma grimaces. 

‘No it won’t. Because Audrey isn’t the killer. You’re wasting time, Sheriff. You should be looking at other people as suspects.’ Emma lays back in her chair, crossing her arms and legs, smirking at the rapidly vexed man. 

Acosta breathes deeply, mirroring her position. A smug grin crosses his face. He’s changing tactics, ‘Look Emma, if it’s not you, maybe it’s Noah, or even Brooke. Audrey and Brooke have gotten quite close recently, haven’t they? And Noah could certainly have interfered with our video feed…’

Emma deliberately looks as if she’s considering the possibilities. ‘Or maybe, Sheriff, the killer is Eli, who was actually in Lakewood at Will’s funeral-we found a picture of it, or maybe even your own son, I mean you’ve seen his disturbing drawings, haven’t you?’ 

Emma’s not going to fall for his act. And she’s tired of being a pawn in other people’s games. 

Acosta frowns deeply, and just as he opens his mouth to respond, the door flies open. 

‘What is wrong with you, Miguel? How dare you keep Emma locked up like this! You should’ve called me! This is a huge violation-’ 

‘Look Maggie, I just wanted to ask a few questions-’ 

‘No, you had no right to keep my daughter like this!’

Emma’s never seen her mother this angry before. It’s quite a scary sight, if she’s being honest with herself. Maggie turns and faces Emma. ‘Come on Emma, we’re leaving now.’

As Maggie exits, Acosta grabs Emma’s arm, ‘Hey we need Emma’s help to find Audrey. She’s escaped!’

‘Get your hands off my daughter! I don’t care, that’s your problem to deal with!’ She drags Emma out with her, but not before yelling, ‘This is not over Miguel!’

They’ve had a lot of issues lately, but Emma has never been more grateful for her mother. Now she just needs to find out what happened to Audrey.


	8. Rue The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's out. But where's Audrey? 
> 
> Plenty of tears await you in this chapter, as Emma, Maggie and Brooke decided how to proceed. Will they find Audrey? And what does the killer want now?

‘Hey, Emma, are you ok?’ Her mother’s holding her face in her hands, searching her eyes for any hint of psychological damage, Emma guesses. 

It’s at this point she starts to break down. Her mother’s concern is her undoing. 

‘Hey, baby, it’s ok, you’re going to be ok.’ 

Maggie holds her as she becomes a blubbering mess. Tears stream down Emma’s cheeks as her mother grasps her tighter, whispering soothing words. She strokes her hair, reminding Emma of a time when she used to come to her mother for comfort, away from the pain of the world. Recent events had of course generated some distance between them. 

She needs this, after everything. With a killer on the loose, and Audrey missing, nothing is alright in her world. Her tears are just as much for everything she has been through as they are for Audrey. It’s tempting to stay like this forever, but her friends need her.

Emma pulls away, and Maggie steps back. Wiping her eyes, Emma pleads, ‘Mum, we have to find Audrey. Acosta thinks she’s the killer. We need to find her before he does, or worse, before the killer does!’

Maggie takes one look at the desperation on her daughter’s face, ‘Of course we’re not going to leave her all alone honey. But,’ she says as she stares down at Emma, ‘you cannot shut me out. Not this time. It’s too dangerous. You can’t go out alone again, not like you did today. You could get hurt, or worse. Promise me?’

‘I promise, mum.’ 

‘Good. Now how about we get you to Brooke’s and you guys can start figuring out where Audrey could’ve gone. I’ll call Mr Jensen and let him know what’s going on.’

It’s a quiet drive to Brooke’s, both Duval women considering the day’s events.

Emma breaks the silence first, ‘Mum, how did you know where I was? I mean, Acosta didn’t say anything to you, so who did?’

Maggie briefly takes her eyes off the road to look at Emma, ‘Oh, I got a call from someone, not sure who. Blocked number, didn’t recognise their voice. As soon as I heard, I rushed down to get you.’

Emma freezes. There’s only one person it could possibly be. But why did they care about getting her out? There has to be something in it for them.

‘Oh shit,’ she whispers.

The car screeches to a stop. Maggie turns to her daughter, ‘Emma, what’s wrong?’

She panics. She cannot tell her the truth. If she does, her mother won’t let her out of her sight. And then she couldn’t help Audrey.

So she lies. She lies and she hopes that her mother will understand when this is all over.

‘It’s nothing.’

‘Emma, I thought we agreed…we need to be honest with each other.’

‘No really, it’s nothing…it’s just,’ she needs to think quickly on her feet, before her mother begins to discern the truth, ‘what if the killer has Audrey? What if we’re too late to save her? She’s been gone for awhile now…’

Maggie unfastens her seatbelt, leaning over to hug Emma. ‘Oh honey, it’s going to be alright.’ Pulling back, she holds Emma’s face between her hands, ‘Look at me. We’re going to find her, ok? We’re not going to give up on Audrey, I promise. But you need to be strong for her, she wouldn’t want you to fall apart, or to do anything stupid, ok?’

Emma nods. ‘Ok, I’m gonna text Brooke now.’ 

Emma is fraught with nervous energy. The rest of the drive is as silent as before, but the silence feels loaded somehow. As if at any moment she is going to betray herself.

She’s relieved when they eventually reach Brooke’s house. Emma turns away to jump out of the car, but before she can, Maggie grabs her arm. 

‘Please be careful Emma. And don’t leave the house. I know you want to help Audrey, but you can’t help her if you’re hurt. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid whilst I’m talking to Mr Jensen.’

‘Mum, I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me.’

Maggie pulls her into a hug. ‘You’re my daughter, Emma. I’m always going to worry about you. Now, you and Brooke should call Noah, I’m sure he has some ideas about where Audrey could be.’

Emma’s phone rings. Unknown caller.

‘Who’s that?’

‘Just Noah. I’ll call him back in a sec.’

She pulls open the car door. Emma breathes a sigh of relief as she watches her mother drive away, before knocking on Brooke’s door. 

‘Emma, finally!’ Brooke pulls her inside. ‘What the hell is going on?’

‘The killer called us. Audrey and I. Acosta thinks Audrey is the killer, but she escaped or something from her holding cell. Oh and the killer called my mum so they want me out for some reason and they just called me!’ 

‘Woah Emma, calm down! You’re talking too fast, I don’t know what you’re saying!’

‘And Audrey’s probably in trouble…’ She starts to hyperventilate.

‘Emma! You need to breathe. Breathe in, and out. In, out. In, out.’ 

Her breathing slows. 

‘Look Em, you need to relax. Tell me again what’s happening, but slower this time please.’

‘The killer played us. Made Audrey look guilty, and now Acosta thinks she’s the killer…’ Her phone rings.

‘It’s the killer, Brooke!’

‘Well answer it then!’

But she’s hesitant. After today, Emma knows that anything could accompany this call. With the killer ensuring she got out, they must have some plan for her. And she’s through being the pawn on the chessboard. 

‘Hello, Emma.’

‘What the hell do you want?!’

‘Tsk, tsk. Now that’s no way to talk to me, Emma. Wouldn’t want to make me mad…something might happen to your friend…’

She turns to Brooke, fear enveloping their expressions.

‘What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?!’

‘Oh Emma, that’s not important. What’s important is what I’m going to do to her.’

‘Not if I kill you first!’

‘Ah Emma, I see you haven’t lost your fight. It’s too bad all of the evidence points to Audrey here. Now the Sheriff, he’s going to find her, and of course her death is going to be explained away by her accomplice. There’s plenty of shady people in this town it could be. It’s going to be quite a fun phase in my plan.’

‘You’re going down, you bastard,’ Brooke screeches. ‘We’re going to find you, and we’re going to kill you!’

‘Poor Brooke. Can’t contemplate the possibility of losing yet another friend? Don’t worry, Audrey can say hi to Jake for you.’

Scarily calm, Brooke answers, ‘You’re going to rue the day you ever messed with us. You’ll mess up eventually, and when you do, we’ll find you. And we’ll kill you.’ She ends the call.

‘Brooke! You’re just making it worse!’

‘How Emma? They’ve already said they’re going to kill Audrey! It can’t get any worse than that!’

‘Don’t be stupid Brooke! Didn’t you listen? We’re going to wish the killer had killed her, they said! Of course it can get worse!’

Brooke deflates. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Emma!’

‘I’m sorry too. I’m just scared for Audrey, I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you.’

Emma slides down the wall, head in her hands. Tears slip down her cheeks. She’s shaking from the fear of what tomorrow brings. They’re the only hope that Audrey has. Brooke sits down beside her, leaning her head on Emma’s shoulder. In a way, it’s comforting to be with someone who knows exactly what you’re going through, Emma thinks.

‘Hey Emma?’

‘Yeah?’

‘You know we’re going to find that bastard, right? We’re not losing another friend.’

She’s right. There’s no time for wallowing. ‘We need to get Noah. It’s time we find Audrey.’


	9. Go Through Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Audrey wakes up, completely disoriented and without any recollections of what has happened to her. How far will the killer go to hurt Emma, and what truths will they reveal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be my last update before the Halloween Special. The reveals in this chapter are in fact my own guesses about the show which I wanted to incorporate in this story. 
> 
> Note that there are brief depictions of violence/torture so if you are triggered by that, please don't read this as it makes up about 60% of the chapter, although I personally think it's pretty toned down, not gratuitous or anything. You can easily get the point of the chapter just by reading the last few paragraphs which includes the reveals.

Shadows dance across the back of her eyelids, but otherwise, all she can see is darkness. Her body is on fire, her chief concern being the pain radiating across her stomach. She feels her way down her body, in an attempt to discern the state of her wounds. Her hands are sticky, smelling of copper, and it’s all she can do not to empty the contents of her stomach at the thought of what had been done to her. 

She fights back against the darkness. Eventually, her eyes flutter open. Her eyes take awhile to adjust, her vision blurred with spots and streaks of light, until she can perceive the darkness of the bare room, lit with a single fluorescent lamp. It casts a stark gloominess, particularly when her eyes notice the tools strewn across the lone table. It’s a veritable collection of instruments likely applied for use in her pain. She struggles to recall what had happened to her. The last moment she remembers is being hauled to a holding cell by Acosta, accused of being the killer. 

Audrey wonders where Emma is, if she is ok? The last time she saw Emma, they’d been pulled apart, taken to different rooms. She assumes that Emma was interrogated also. Then she remembers, Acosta had accused her of taking advantage of Emma, of pretending to be her friend when this whole time she had been the killer. There’s a lump in her throat at the thought that Emma could’ve believed Acosta. She wouldn’t blame her either, not after everything she had done to her. Not after Piper. 

Audrey can feel remnants of her memories fighting to claw their way to the surface. Mostly though, she’s in the dark about why she is there, and where there actually is. Her eyes skim the room, but it is empty apart from chair she is sitting on, the lamp and table. She looks down, noticing for the first time the ropes strapping her legs to the legs of the chair. It’s no wonder she hadn’t noticed, her whole body is on fire it’s almost impossible to really feel anything apart from that. Her legs are covered in bruises and a few gashes, whilst blood appears to be dripping down her left arm from a wound in her shoulder. She lifts up her saturated shirt, multiple deep gashes weeping blood have stained her whole stomach red. 

She traces her fingers along her stomach, but is suddenly struck with sharp pain, triggering a few memories. With several flashes of moments, she starts to piece everything together. The killer wearing their mask. Being stabbed in the stomach with knives, twisted in deep. She remembers trying to hold back, and failing, her screams reverberating through the room. The memory of her screams hurts more than the pain. She seeks out the shallow slashes on her face, brushing off the dried blood. She glances at the knives covered in her blood and other surgical looking instruments. But it’s the cattle prod that demands her attention, as she’s transported through her memories. The killer wields it threateningly, jabbing her in the stomach. She can smell her burning flesh, and the urge to vomit resurfaces. 

She’s heaving, but there’s no release, because her stomach is empty. It grumbles, and Audrey wonders how long it’s been since she’s eaten, how long she’s been there. The last thing she ate was a quick breakfast before meeting Emma at work after the call from the killer. From the state of her stomach, it’s clearly been several meals since then. Her throat is parched as well. She tries to swallow some saliva to relieve her thirst, and she can feel a headache coming on. Given the killer’s actions so far, they’re hardly going to be offering her anything to eat or drink anytime soon. 

‘Hello, Audrey.’

The killer steps into the room, mask and all, still using the voice changer app. Audrey wonders just how easily she would recognise the real voice of the killer if they were to stop using it. How close is she to them? 

She struggles to speak, her voice croaking from the lack of moisture. 

The killer laughs in genuine amusement at her suffering.

‘Maybe next time you’ll think before you cross me!’

But just as the killer steps towards her, Emma appears seemingly from nowhere. At first, Audrey thinks that she must be hallucinating, the pain and dehydration getting to her. But when Emma yells out, she knows in her heart that it’s her Emma. 

‘Get away from her you bastard!’ It’s Emma alright, and even in this situation, Audrey cannot stop herself from smiling. 

Emma runs past the killer, standing protectively in front of Audrey. ‘If you want to kill her, you’ll have to go through me!’ 

‘Ah Emma, Emma, Emma…I was so hoping that you’d join us,’ the killer remarks. ‘You know, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. You’re going to watch as Audrey dies and there’s nothing you can do to help her. And then, just to push the knife in deeper, I’m going to make it look like her accomplice got mad and attacked her. Audrey will be remembered as the killer, as Piper’s accomplice. All I have to do is figure out who to frame as her accomplice…both Eli and Stavo would appropriate accomplices I think…what do you think, Emma?’

She walks towards the killer. ‘I think…that you’re not going to get away with it…’

Emma starts smirking suddenly. She is the girl on fire that Audrey has always seen within her, all avenging angel. Any worries Audrey had dissipate. Emma’s confidence is infectious. If she is this confident, Emma must have something over the killer, Audrey surmises. 

‘Kieran.’

The wind is knocked out of Audrey at this revelation. Someone they trusted, someone Emma trusted, was hurting them all along as he pretended to help them. She almost can’t believe it. 

The killer pauses. The tension in the room is palpable. He whips off the mask. Emma was right. Kieran is the killer. 

‘So clever, Emma. You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Then how come this whole time you haven’t figured out the truth of the original killings all those years ago? How come you haven’t figured out who the real killer was, given how close you are to him?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh you know, Emma. Deep down, you know the truth. That Brandon James was innocent, that your father, Kevin Duval was the real killer!’


End file.
